The Portland daily press., 1887-07-26
RERcEoN's METHOD.
Portland Doctors Trials OF the Treat
ment of Consumption.i

The new treatment of pulmonary con-
sumption, first introduced by DIR. l.. Bergeon.
of Lyons, France, and which has been the
subject of much discussion among the medi-
cal profession in this country, has been tried
at the Maine General Hospital in this city,
and either in the original manner of intro
duction into the system, employed by DR..
Bergeon. or in the form of one OF the modifi-
cations, has also been used by several of the
Portland physicians.
Or. bergeon's method consists in the in
PRODUCTION OF sulphureted hydrogen gas into
the rectum from whence it enters the intes-
tnes ana stomach, and then, by means of
the blood vessels is carried to the lungs. To
use the treatment successfully requires an
paratus especially constructed for the pur-
pose and Is work OF considerable trouble
ana detail. DIR. Bruen, of Philadelphia,
who has given the treatment an extended
trial and regards it of great value as an adj
lunct to those measures in the treatment of
phthisis which tend to build up the general
health of the patient so that he may better
resist the inroads Of the disease, looks upon
the difficulty Of administering the remedy as
bar to its general use. Professor III. C.
Wood, of Philadelphia. the author of several
standard medical works, thinks he has met
this objection by using the gas in saturated
solution which is drunk by the patient.
DIR. III. II. Hunt, during his last term of
service at the Maine General Hospital, sent
for the necessary apparatus and introduced
the Bergen treatment into that institution.
DR.. Hunts use of the treatment at the hos
pital, covered period of about two months,
In which time three patients were treated.
During the first few weeks there was an i'm
provement in the condition of the patients.
This consisted in the stopping of the night
sweats, increased appetite, and the ability
OF the patient to sleep better and longer. No
Improvement in the condition of the lungs
was apparent, however, and DR.. Hunt thinks
that the change in the condition of the pa
tlents was only temporary, lasting during the
nrst three weeks of the trial. As to the val
ue OF the treatment and its power to effect
cures OF phthisis, DR.. Hunt states that it is
TOO early to form an opinion. To Judge cor
rectly, the treatment must be tried during a
time covering at least year and upon a
great number of cases.
DR.. G. A. Ring, whose term of service at
the hospital began at the conclusion of DR..
hunts, has since then had under his care
the patients on whom DIR. Hunt tried the
treatment. The treatment has been cor
tlnued by DR.. Ring, whose opinion as to its
enects agrees with DIR. Hunts. DR.. Ring
says that some of the patients think that
they are improving under the use of the
treatment while in other cases the patient
has proved unable to bear the introduction
OF the gas into the stomach. DIR. Ring is of
the opinion that to come to any determine
ton as to the value of the treatment, a much
LONGER time must be allowed to elapse than
That In which its operation has been already
observed
DIR. |. I. Dana, who has used Professor
WOODS modification of the Bergeon method,
states that this treatment consists in the in
PRODUCTION into the stomach of the elements
employed by DR.. Bergeon, in the form of car
bonic acid water saturated with sulphurated
hydrogen, the liquid being taken as drink.
Inc elements in this way find entrance into
the blood contained in the pulmonary capilla-
ries In the exact manner as in the original Ber-
geon method, the method of taking the treat
ment being much less disagreeable to the pa
tent. 1t seems likely at the present lime
that the Bergeon method in its det-sis viii
be short lived, but that its essential princi-
pie. the treatment of pbftthisis by antiseptics
may have broad application by variety of
methods. DR.. Dana in the use of Professor
wooos met3Sd in his practice, has met with
sa1lsiacS0ry results in the series of cases
tEeased.
DIR. Geo, W. Way has used the Bergeon
treatment in his practice during period Of
about three months and half, in which
time he has tried the method in eleven cases.
Dr. Way devised his own apparatus for the
Introduction of the gas into the system, and
in ten out OF the eleven cases has obtained
good results. There has been an almost en-
tire cessation of the cough the digestion is
greatly improved and the night sweats have
stopped. Dr. Way regards the treatment as
of great value for its healing effects upon the
bowels, which inpulmonary consumption are
affected to greater or less degree DR..
Way thinks that the apparatus in use by him
prevents the trouble experienced by some
patients when the gas is introduced into the
stomach as it allows the gas to flow back If
its introduction proves painful to the patient.
He says that it is yet too early to form con-
clusions as to the value and curative powers
OF the new method of treatment.